Clothing system and method

ABSTRACT

A clothing system including an overtrouser and an undertrouser to be worn under the overtrouser, wherein the undertrouser is configured such that, when the system is worn, the undertrouser may be removed without removing the overtrouser.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an anterior perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a posterior perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a leg portion of an undertrouser according to the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is an anterior fragmentary perspective view of a pelvic region of the undertrouser of the first embodiment of the invention, with a rear fastener unfastened;

FIG. 5 is an anterior fragmentary perspective view of a pelvic region of an undertrouser according to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a posterior fragmentary perspective view of the pelvic region of the undertrouser of the second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an anterior fragmentary perspective view of a pelvic region of a leg portion of the undertrouser of the second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is an anterior perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A clothing system according to an embodiment of the invention is shown broadly in FIGS. 1 and 2 at reference numeral 10. The system 10 includes an overtrouser 11 (shown with dotted lines) and an undertrouser 12 (shown with solid lines) to be worn under the overtrouser 11. As used herein, the term “undertrouser” means one or more pieces of fabric or textile material intended for wear under at least one additional layer of fabric or textile material, and that cover at least a portion of a wearer's body below a waistline or beltline of the wearer. Therefore, for instance, the term “undertrouser” encompasses any garment that covers any portion of at least one leg of a wearer. A wearer could wear an additional layer of fabric or textile material under the undertrouser 12 if desired. The overtrouser 11 could be any type of short or long pant available in the clothing marketplace or known to one of ordinary skill in the art. By way of example and not by way of limitation, possible overtrousers include casual general purpose pants such as khaki slacks or denim jeans, dress slacks worn separate from or as part of a suit, athletic/sporting pants such as waterproof/water resistant pants or camouflage pants, and pants included in uniforms such as those worn by military, law enforcement, fire/rescue, or health care personnel.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the undertrouser 12 includes a first leg portion 13 and a second leg portion 14. Turning now to FIG. 3, a first leg portion 13 of the undertrouser 12 (FIGS. 1, 2) of a first embodiment of the invention is shown. The first and second leg portions 13, 14 of the undertrouser 12 are not identical; therefore, the first leg portion 13 illustrated in FIG. 3 could be utilized either as the right leg portion (as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4) or as the left leg portion of the undertrouser 12, but not as both. The first leg portion 13 of the undertrouser 12 shown in FIG. 3 includes a waistband portion 20, a leg covering portion 21, an inseam 22, a fly 23 sewn or attached to a lower portion 24 of the inseam 22, a zipper 25 sewn or attached within the fly 23, and a cuff portion 30. A loop 31 is sewn or attached to the cuff portion 30 of the first leg portion 13 of the undertrouser 12. Two female fastener elements such as clip receivers 32 are sewn or attached to an inner surface 33 of the waistband portion 20, while each end 34 of an outer surface 36 of the waistband portion 20 is provided with a male fastener element such as a clip 35 configured to be received by clip receivers (not shown) sewn onto a waistband portion (not shown) of the second leg portion 14 (FIGS. 1, 2) of the undertrouser 12 (FIGS. 1, 2). The clip receivers 32 and the clips 35 may be replaced by any suitable complementary fastening mechanisms, including but not limited to clasp receivers and clasps, female and male snap elements, buttonholes and buttons, hook-and-loop fastener elements, or buckles and straps. The undertrouser 12 may also be provided with additional clips or fasteners (not shown) to secure the undertrouser 12 to the overtrouser 11 (FIGS. 1, 2).

Turning now to FIG. 4, the first leg portion 13 (FIG. 3) of the undertrouser 12 is shown partially attached to the second leg portion 14 of the undertrouser 12. As mentioned above, although FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 illustrate the first leg portion 13 as the right leg portion of the undertrouser 12 and the second leg portion 14 as the left leg portion of the undertrouser 12, the first leg portion 13 could serve as the left leg portion while the second leg portion 14 serves as the right leg portion. The second leg portion 14 differs from the first leg portion 13 in that the orientation of the fastener elements relative to inner and outer surfaces of the waistband portions is reversed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the second leg portion 14 is provided with clip receivers 42 on an outer surface 43 of the waistband portion 41 and clips 44 on an inner surface 45 of the waistband portion 41. The clip receivers 32, 42 and the clips 35, 44 are illustrated as they attach the first leg portion 13 of the undertrouser 12 to the second leg portion 14 of the undertrouser 12 along waistband portions 20, 41 of the leg portions 13, 14.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, an undertrouser 50 according to a second embodiment of the invention is shown, including a first leg portion 51 (shown as a right leg portion) and a second leg portion 52 (shown as a left leg portion). FIG. 7 illustrates a first leg portion 51 of the undertrouser 50 of the second embodiment of the invention. Although the first leg portion 51 shown in FIG. 7 is oriented in FIGS. 5 and 6 as a right leg portion, the first leg portion 51 could alternatively be utilized as a left leg portion. Looking again at FIG. 7, the first leg portion 51 includes a waistband portion 52 designed to extend around the entire waist of a wearer (not shown). Specifically, the waistband portion 52 includes a strap 53 having a free end 54 bearing a clip 55. The clip 55 is configured to be received by a clip receiver 60 sewn or attached to an outer surface 56 of the waistband portion 52 at a point adjacent to an edge 61 of a flap 62 of the first leg portion 51. As in the undertrouser of the first embodiment of the invention, the first leg portion 51 of the undertrouser of the second embodiment of the invention also includes two clip receivers 63 sewn or attached to an inner surface 64 of the waistband portion 52. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second leg portion 52 of the undertrouser 50 of the second embodiment of the invention includes a waistband portion 65, with a clip 70 sewn or attached at each end 71 of the waistband 65, each clip 70 being received in a respective clip receiver 63 on the first leg portion 51. As with the undertrouser in the first embodiment of the invention, the clip/clip receiver combination may be replaced by any suitable complementary fastening mechanisms, including but not limited to those specifically listed above in connection with the first embodiment of the invention. Aside from the structure discussed in this paragraph, the undertrouser of the second embodiment of the invention is identical to the undertrouser of the first embodiment of the invention described above.

The above-described embodiments of the invention function as follows. A wearer (not shown) dons the undertrouser and secures the undertrouser about his or her waist region using the clips and clip receivers on the waistband portions of the undertrouser. The wearer then dons the overtrouser on top of the undertrouser. If and when it becomes desirable to remove the undertrouser, the wearer may disengage the clips from the clip receivers on the waistband portions of the undertrouser, unzip the zippers along the inseams of the undertrouser as necessary to obviate the need to remove any footwear being worn by the wearer, and grasp and pull the first and second leg portions of the undertrouser downward through corresponding leg portions of the overtrouser until both leg portions of the undertrouser are removed from the wearer. The first and second leg portions of the undertrouser may be grasped and pulled downward in this manner through utilization of the loops 31 (FIG. 3) sewn or attached to the cuff portions 30 (FIG. 3) of the first and second leg portions of the undertrouser or by grasping and pulling downward upon any other convenient portion of the undertrouser.

The undertrouser of the above-described embodiments of the invention may be made of a wide variety of fabrics depending on the desired application. For instance, the undertrouser may be made of a thermal fabric including but not limited to any one of the breathable, wicking synthetic fabrics commonly utilized in clothing intended for engaging in outdoor sports such as hiking, skiing, fishing, hunting, biking, or running in low temperatures. Alternatively, also by way of example and not by way of limitation, the undertrouser may be made of a cut resistant and/or heat resistant fabric to provide safety in law enforcement, fire/rescue, industrial and/or military environments requiring such materials. However, potential uses of the invention are not limited to these applications, as the invention may be utilized by any individual desiring a removable undertrouser. One application for such an undertrouser is for heat retention in low temperature conditions. In this application, when the low temperature conditions subside, the undertrouser may be removed according to the above-described method without needing to first remove the overtrouser. In this manner, the need for privacy when disrobing, the associated inconvenience of finding a suitably private location for disrobing, and the likely embarrassment associated with disrobing in an insufficiently private location may all be avoided.

FIG. 8 illustrates a third embodiment of the present invention at reference numeral 80. This embodiment includes an overtrouser 81 (shown with dotted lines), an undertrouser 82 (shown with solid lines), and fasteners such as clips 83 to attach a waistband portion 84 of the undertrouser 82 to a waistband portion 85 of the overtrouser 81. Any of the fasteners discussed above in connection with other embodiments of the invention or any other suitable fastener known by one of ordinary skill in the art may be utilized instead of the clips 83. The undertrouser 82 in this embodiment omit crotch covering portions and buttocks covering portions, thereby forming a chaps-like garment worn beneath the overtrouser 81. The undertrouser 82 of this embodiment is illustrated as unitary; however, the undertrouser may alternatively include two separate leg portions (not shown). Except as otherwise described in this paragraph, this embodiment is structured and functions in the same manner as the embodiments discussed above.

A fourth embodiment of the invention (not shown) includes an undertrouser comprising one or more removable fabric panels that attach to inner surfaces of an overtrouser using one or more of the fastener types discussed above. The panels may or may not be configured to engage the waist and/or hip regions of the wearer, as desired. Except as otherwise described in this paragraph, this embodiment is structured and functions in the same manner as the embodiments discussed above.

A clothing system and method is described above. Various details of the invention may be changed without departing from its scope. Furthermore, the foregoing description of embodiments of the invention and the best mode for practicing the invention are provided for the purpose of illustration only and not for the purpose of limitation-the invention being defined by the claims. 

1. A clothing system, comprising: an overtrouser; an undertrouser to be worn under the overtrouser; and wherein the undertrouser is configured such that, when the system is worn, the undertrouser may be removed without removing the overtrouser.
 2. A clothing system according to claim 1, wherein the undertrouser is configured to be attached to the overtrouser.
 3. A clothing system according to claim 1, wherein the undertrouser comprises: a first leg portion; a second leg portion; a plurality of fasteners for attaching the first leg portion to the second leg portion about a waist region of a wearer of the system.
 4. A clothing system according to claim 3, wherein the first and second leg portions each include a front flap and a rear flap, the front and rear flaps configured such that, when the system is worn, a crotch region and a buttocks region of a wearer of the system are covered by the undertrouser.
 5. A clothing system according to claim 1, wherein the undertrouser comprises material that provides thermal insulation to a wearer of the system.
 6. A clothing system, comprising: a overtrouser; a undertrouser to be worn under the overtrouser, the undertrouser comprising a first leg portion, a second leg portion, and a plurality of fasteners for attaching the first leg portion to the second leg portion about a waist region of a wearer of the system; wherein the undertrouser is configured such that, when the system is worn, the undertrouser may be removed without removing the overtrouser.
 7. A clothing system according to claim 6, wherein the undertrouser is configured to be attached to the overtrouser.
 8. A clothing system according to claim 6, wherein the first and second leg portions each include a front flap and a rear flap, the front and rear flaps configured such that, when the system is worn, a crotch region and a buttocks region of a wearer of the system are covered by the undertrouser.
 9. A clothing system according to claim 6, wherein the undertrouser comprises material that provides thermal insulation to a wearer of the system.
 10. A method for removing an undertrouser without removing an overtrouser worn over the undertrouser, said method comprising the steps of: providing an overtrouser and an undertrouser, wherein the undertrouser is worn under the overtrouser; adjusting the undertrouser to be removable without removal of the overtrouser; and removing the undertrouser from under the overtrouser.
 11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the undertrouser provided in said providing step comprises first and second leg portions, and said adjusting step comprises the step of detaching the first and second leg portions of the undertrouser from one another.
 12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said adjusting step further comprises the step of detaching the undertrouser from the overtrouser.
 13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the overtrouser and the undertrouser provided in said providing step each comprise first and second leg portions, and said removing step comprises: grasping and pulling downward upon a lower portion of the first leg portion of the undertrouser until the first leg portion of the undertrouser is completely removed from under the first leg portion of the overtrouser; and grasping and pulling downward upon a lower portion of the second leg portion of the undertrouser until the second leg portion of the undertrouser is completely removed from under the second leg portion of the overtrouser.
 14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said adjusting step comprises the step of detaching the first and second leg portions of the undertrouser from one another.
 15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said adjusting step further comprises the step of detaching the undertrouser from the overtrouser. 